What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Smoking

It does not matter whether you were a long-term smoker or smoked for only a short period. Quitting smoking brings both immediate and long-term health benefits. It also does not matter how old you are or how long you have been smoking.

Soon after you stop smoking, your body begins removing harmful substances. Your sense of taste and smell improves, your breathing becomes easier, and your energy levels increase.

Over time, your blood circulation and lung function improve, making physical activity easier while reducing coughing and other breathing problems.

Quitting smoking also significantly lowers your risk of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, eye disease and dementia.

Stopping smoking can also improve your mental health by reducing stress, anxiety and depression after the initial withdrawal period.

It also protects your family from the dangers of second-hand smoke and reduces the chances of children taking up smoking during their teenage years.

In addition, quitting smoking can save you a considerable amount of money each year.

If you are still unsure whether quitting smoking is worth it, there is strong medical evidence to support its benefits. Within just 20 minutes of quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure begin to return to normal.

Within a few weeks, your lungs start working better, making it easier to walk, climb stairs and exercise with less breathlessness. Food also starts tasting better because your sense of taste and smell improves. You are also less likely to catch chest infections, colds and flu as your lungs become healthier.

Your immune system becomes stronger, helping your body fight infections more effectively.

Smoking damages almost every organ in your body, while quitting helps slow further damage. There is another important reason to quit. Women who stop smoking have a better chance of having a healthier pregnancy and healthier babies. Men who quit smoking can also reduce their risk of erectile dysfunction caused by poor blood flow.

Your skin also becomes healthier as more oxygen reaches it after you stop smoking. Your personal hygiene improves because your breath, clothes, hair and home no longer smell of cigarette smoke. Children living in a smoke-free environment have a lower risk of asthma attacks, ear infections and breathing problems. Since smoking increases the risk of chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), quitting can greatly reduce that risk.

According to the American Cancer Society, former smokers usually live longer than people who continue smoking. The earlier you quit, the greater the health benefits. Another common myth is that quitting smoking only helps at a certain age. In reality, quitting smoking improves your health at any age.